The University of Turbat’s new fee structure ignited a protest by a group of students outside the varsity’s main entrance. The sit-in entered its 6th day today.
According to the students, the Balochistan Universities Act, 2022 is violated by the fee hike, ranging from 30 to 80%.
Why it matters:
The Makran division of Balochistan has a combined literacy rate of 60.05%. Additionally, it is the 8th most literate district in Pakistan, according to the 2017 Census.
Follow More: Balochistan’s Success Is Your Success, Says PM at Inaugurating Daanish School
The most literate area of Balochistan:
The Kech district, which tops Balochistan, has a combined literacy rate of 62.66%. Women make up 56.66% of the overall literate population, while men make up 43%. The opening of the University of Turbat in 2012 is often credited for this increase.
A student’s account:
Hammal Baloch, a student-protestor, claims that this rise was noted because of two reasons, “One, because a university was available at our doorsteps, and two, because of affordable costs.”
He points out that the purpose of this abrupt increase was to “downgrade” the literacy rate and deny young people the chance to pursue higher education.
The fee hike:
The university charged Rs 250 per semester, which was covered by the challan for semester fees. However, this time, the university increased the price listed on the voucher and required the students to pay an additional Rs 4,000 for transportation if they were from Turbat’s main city. The fee for students outside Turbat have to pay an additional Rs 5000.
A teacher’s account:
Hamid Ali Baloch, a professor at the University of Balochistan, is also concerned about the hike and believes that it is ‘not legal.’
What is the university doing about it?
On the other hand, the university administration refrained from making any comments. The administration has been promoting its position and posting ‘false’ comparisons of the fee schedule with other Balochistani universities, such as the University of Balochistan (UoB), the Balochistan University of Information, Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), and the Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS).
Leave a Reply